Snow attachment for automobiles



May 15%,, "$925 H. K. GOODRlCH snow ATTACHMENT FOR'AUTOMOBILES Filed July 19, 1922 2 Shets-Sheec 1 SNOW ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILE'IS Filed July 19, 1922 55 i,

.ormce.

HAROLD K. WODRZCH; i31 BENEJUN, VERMUNT.

ElNGW ATTACHMEBTT FOE AUTQMO ZBILES.

Application filed July 19, 1922 Serial No. '5'5,978.

To aZZ whom it may cor cem: r

it known that l, illA'ROL-D K. u-oopurori, a citizen of the United States, residing at censon, in the county of .lftutlaud and En of e see in. Bed new and. useful hrention'relates to attachments for automobiles by which they may be convert ed into motor sleds supported on runners i; stead of Wheels end propelled by the mobile power plant.

For this ourpose this invention provides a pair of units arranged in parallel reletion, each unit comprising a plurality of runners and a traction Wheel in place of the usual driving Wheels for supporting the rear of the vehicle, driving connections being proided from the tion Wheels.

Steering runners are provided tor the forward end of the vehicle these runners being controlled by rel-rule steering mechanism.

F or a more complete understanding of this invention, together with further ob jects and advantageous details combi notions of parts reference 1mm; the accompanying; drawings in whichigure '1'. is a side elevation a motor having the attachment lie ierce irs.

l igurc 2 a 'z' rouii of the spr' m axle eoostrueiiio view 0 -ele of the long ring type showing" the "front axle ermscruc Figure -1? is :1 o 7 rear port u or the modifiec e re.

Figure l e of the rear use :1 (1' ion show! 2; per meh u'ieu VG shown in Figure 1. V gure 6 :1 View si or o also showing the one; meeouuisn' ures l and 5. Figure 'l' is a detail with ports suav of the drive connect- Referring particularly to 4 rear clrive axis for the true.

type showing the froi'zt.

taking be seen that the attachment comprises runner supports for the frontencl rear portions of the vehicle. Two constructions of front runner support for the steering runners are shown in Figures 2 and 3, in Figure 2 the construction being; clesigned'for the single cross spring type of vehicle such as Ford cars, while that in Figure 3 is designed for curs having longitudinal front springs Referring more particularly-to Figure 2 69 at l is shown cross axle member corresponding to the front axle of the vehicle when provided with Wheels. This member 1 is similarvto the ordinary front axle except that it is preferable to make it somewhat shorter. The normal distance between the centers or the tread for vehicle Wheels is sixty inches, While it is preferable to space the center lines of the runner apart forty inches so as to track the ordinary sleigh. 70 For this ourpose it is necessary to place the springsupportiug brackets 2' nearer the ends of the member 1 than their position on the ordinary axle. The member 1 is proviclerl with. downwardly tending arms 3 between portion of the member sleeves lon pivot bolts iluritie the roadway. The sleeve}; ere mtencreol to he connected to the orcli uni y 2, of the vehicle is t oreli- 35 nary manner o that the runs may be swung; about the bolts 5 as centers to steer the vehicle. 7

In Figure 3 a member responcliuggto the member 1 of Figure 2 and thelpluce of the usual front axle in that ype oi vehicle employing longitudinal springs. The longitudinal springs shown ii are morale fast thereto in the same man-. er in which they would be made fast to is while axle. This men'iber 1O similarly provicleal Witl. pivot bolts 5 for the reeption of sleeves 1 carrying "rocker bolts on which the runners 7 are supported, the

beihg eoruectecl in the usual mam 10 is shown corand outwardly ex-' suit means spring so inev be pl ceo mechanism or t e rear portion of the vehicle sup rte: by pair of u its. As shown more axle to of the units suou as might cause the gasoline tank to be struck hereby which n'iight be liable to puncture I01 otherwise injure it. Each unit 15 mo if'desii'ed, be eds n three sections as shown. :1 "forwar :ction 20, an intermediate ion 21, e rem section 22. Qhe forward section 20 has integrai herewith or attached thereto a housing or sleeve portion en rging over the rear oi housing betwe n its ends, 519, sleeves of she invouuits be 11;; spaced so as to bring the runner supports therefor, which 'Illl be later described, "forty inches between centers "he some as the unners for q r i; .L NW: 1 1 sup oiting d Whiil and h, l

be capable of "clung; on mg hit are preferably from longer-misc rear 8X19, liousi section :20

orscliet in,

'ouese tl'irough the wiiiol l s s eross pivot 26 on which is me i.-.gly mounted a forward runner in the cs. 1 where the sections 90 are to be attached to he vehicle body, this may be. done by means such us shown in Figures i,

tion 20 there 1 oeiug shown L forward. i1 at e vs sliduble on :1 vertical boli fixed near one end to a cross frame incn'iber :51. 'PYHS'CI'OSS irame member is fixed to the vehicle ohossis or boch and mi y be made extensible, if dasu' u, so us to fit hod es or the chassis of various l The term nded bod-y?) to include either the or both. i 7 therein in vvnuxh .ied securing lioits l vehicle. The head of preferably ben eush the v 1 lJQtWfi'T face of the sleeve 29 and the .i

cross in i s: Y w sleeve Q?) n 2 ages by the of the sleeve '29 head 01": the her. o

The interiuecio e section 210i each unit is preferelirly formed of :1 pair of sections 40 spaced apart intermediate their ends to form a vertical slot rhrough the section bounded by spaced sides. Each portion l0 inter-module its ends is shown as having on upwardly and slightly forwardly inclined guidowuy "l. therein for the reception oi o journsi box ii and :1 spring plate 43 located. above the journal box. Springs ii (I r,- phiced between the upper face of the journal box and the spring plate 43. and urge the journal box toward its lower limit of motion in the frame members 40 by a tension'sdjustable by means of a cap bolt 4-?) extending through a top cover member 46 bridging the opposite sides of the guide- Way il and bearing at its lower end in a depression ii in the upper face of the spring plate The journal boxes 42 hzvo journaler wherein e shaft d8 extending lat-- er: lly oi the unit which carries intermediate the spaced side portions of the frame member 2i, a traction Wheel 50 which is provided with suitable collie and spuds indicated at 51 and 52 to enable the Wheelto exert t'schve ell ort uguinst a smooth surface such as snow or ice. The rear ends of sch pair frame members 21 are made fast to the foiuvizul end of there: r section 22 which end section is with u den-ending;

on the hot (30 0.1 Wh r roe-lo pportcd D 7 runner .l o1. l)G-- ing in. ulincnient long, i the uni; and "he traction WilGGi :30 hearing against the ure 1 and more in detail in ig JCS 5, G, and ii fiel crring to lfitLCl' figures the end of the live i'lriviug ash L18 made first thereto a bevel gear 55 sud in mesh therewith 2L bevel pinion (3-5 on. me for 7 end oi :1 short shaft 67. share is jouruelcd in a casing; (38 which so the two bevel and and fur es s oiosed casing for the outer end oi the live axle section which may be filled with lubricant such as oil or grease. The rear end of this rosin as shown comprises uhousing 69 for uni vcrszrl joint; {illOfwYlllCil connects the rear end oi shuit iii" to :1 shot; 70. The rear end of l T0 jouruuled in a casing Ti, to house :1 beveled pinion 72 rear end of the shat't'TO and s 11 i My H insuring uneieunn loud Zhe shuit ii-3,

This hous means :io containing Oli 1,ces,ose

er grease for luhricatin the ears therein and the transverse shaft, the housing being mndefsst to the outer face of the outer For the purpose of plac- 1p; labrieant in the housings 68 and 73 Ehey hown as provided with holes normally .red. by threaded plugs 74 (see Figure 6). The provision of a universal joint in this drive connection permits the traction wheel to follow the inequalities of the road, the shaft journal box playing up and down w within the guides 41 without interrupting the driving connections.

"Where it is desired drive for the traction wheel this may be readily accomplished as shown in Figure 4 which each end of the live axle of the vehicle carries a sprocket gear 80 in place i t e b rel gear tifi and the outer end of i8 carries a sprocket wheel 81. cars are connected by a drive chain nzi in order to take up the slack of the Main, certain amount of slack being necesy to rovide for'the up and down play a w eel 81 as the journal boxes 42 move up and down in their guide slots, a take-up de is provided. 'ilhis device-may comiiangcd roller 83 over which .the passes and which is upi ally against the lower face of the chain y means of a spring 84 surrounding a rod 85 to the lower end of which the pinion 83 is journaled and which reacts between a fcollar 86 made fast to the'rod 85 nearits upper end and a fixed bracket member 87 through which this rod slidably passes.

In order that the various runners may bear firmly on the roadway without danger of slipping sideways it is preferable to construct'the'm with 'a pair of spaced ribs or runner surfaces as shown at 90 and in order that the traction'wheels may properly function it is desirable that they be constructed in the form of closed drums so that they may not be clogged by-snow: or ice and havto employ a chain ing the traction elements on their outer surfaces. It is also preferable tor-place over each traction element a suitable fender or casing as shown at 91.

'Means are also provided whereby the traction Wheels are' susceptible of control by the vehicle brake mechanism. For this purpose the inner end of each shaft 48 is shown as provided with a brake drum for the reception of a band brake indicated-at 92 and from which operative connections as cables anism of the vehicle to be operated by the driver in the same manner as the wheel brakes used when the vehicle is run as an ordinary road vehicle. I

Having thus described certain embodiments of this invention it is evident that many changes andmodi-fications might be ner fixed thereto adjacent normally urged may extend to the brake mech- Q made therein without departing from its spirit or scope as defined by the appended claims.

I claim: 1. A device of theclass described comprising a pair of frame members, runners positioned at each end of each member, a traction wheel carried by each member between said runners, means for supporting the rear axle housing of a motor vehicle from said members, and driving connections from the rear axle of said vehicle to said traction wheels.

2. In a device of the class described, a unit for supporting a vehicle chassis, said unit comprising a frame member having a supporting runner pivoted thereto adjacent each end, and a traction driving member carried by said frame member between said runners.

In a device of the class described, a unit for: supporting a vehicle chassis, comprising a frame member, a supporting runeach end, said frame member havlng a substantially vertical opening therethrough between sai runners, and a traction-propelling element carried in said opening.

In a device of-the class described, a unit-for supporting a vehicle chassis, comprising a frame member, a supporting runner fixed thereto adjacent each end, said frame member having a substantially vertical opening therethrough between said runners, and a traction wheel journaled in said opening on an axis extending laterally of said member. v

5. Ina device of the class described, a unit for supporting a vehicle chassis, comprising a frame member, a supporting runner fixed thereto adjacent each end, said frame member having a, substantially vertical opening therethrough between said runners, a traction wheel carried in said openmg, and means for urging said wheel against the ground between said runners.-

supports for said frame member, said mom; sides between said runner'supports, a shaft passed. through said her having spaced sldes, a traction wheel fixed to said shaft between said sides, said shaft at one side of said frame, a brake in operative relation to said drum and ac between v a brake-drum fixed tomated by said bra dmvmg; conneczloin -5z1id shaft from'suid dz'iving 211k;

memben runner supgol'ts for said member. 5:11; member havmg spaced sxdles between said runner supports, jeurnal blocks spring sugworting said sides, :1 shaft journaled in said blocks, a me t-i011 Wheel fixed to said. shadt, and driving connections from. said mile to said shaft.

in testimony whel-eo'i signature.

HAROILJD K. GOODRIGH.

I have aflixed my 

